Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-05
LIFE IN NEW YORK.
The Cu0ninG's Hall KaleiAescope.
LIGHT IN DARK PLAcEs-PIcrURES AND PICTURE
DEALERs

The Cu0ning's Hall Kaleidoscope.
LIGHT IN DARK rLAcEs-rrcruxE AND PICTURE
DEALERS.
Special Correspondence Of TIE EvKxrxe STAR
NEW YORK. March 4. 1857.
THE HAPPrEsr NAN IN NEW YORK
was fbund in the basement OF the Metropolitan
hotel about O'Clock at night. The gorgeous bar
room overhead was flooded with light and there
was the tread OF many feet on it's tessalated floor
ing. Judges aldermen, a state Official and other
dignitaries sat at its three little marble tables
and host OF theater habitues stood az its splendid
bar. The happiest man In the city was on his
knees beneath the main stairway. He was black
ing boots. The music OF his brushes was deadened
by the soft clicking OF billiard balls In the room
above, and by faint strains OF melody from
Nyblos Garden, where the snowy ballet
of the "Black Crook" was displaying its glor1eS
The man was FIRST discovered by Ed. Gilmore the
theatrical manager, who Is making fortune out
OF Mrs. Langtry. 1t was rather curious dis
covery. Gilmore had been standing at the bar,
umbrella In hand, treating a squad OF southern
gentry. His diamonds shone like stars OF the first
always but on this night the streets were sloppy,
ana his shoes were in q sad state. Brought 70 a
proper sense OF their condition by tocular CON-
ment he invited the writer to visit the boot-room
There the happiest man was found. He was sixty
years old, and nearly as black a coal. His wool
was unged with the frost OF time, and the white
other In relieving the darkness OF his complexion
He wore doeSktn trowserS, and a striped Bingham
jumper as clean as bran new check apron. His
own shoes bore polish that would have done
credit TO q NTH avenue dandy. The room was
beneath the main stairway OF the boteL. 1t was
AS MAT AS WAX.
No housewives boudoir could be more cosy. IL
was furnished with rugs and four or five cuspi-
dores OF shining metal. The gaslight was softened
by shades OF ground glass. portrait OF Andrew
Jackson, thanked by engraytngs OF favorite steam
ships under full sail, hung on the wall. A low
bench was ntted into niche beneath the stair
way. It held marble slab, covered with black
Ing. The slab looked as though it might have
served to distribute ink on the roller OF q proof
stood near, and an array OF brushes both soft and
sttn, awaited summons to arms Wisp brooms
were suspended In odd corners, and clothes
was a raised platform opposite the bed OF polish.
-FOUR easy chairs were ranged upon IL, inviting us
to seats near two window embrasures. Iron
PEDALS were reared before each chair TO keep the
shoe in position while "shine" was being given.
As We entered the room its occupant was singing
an OLD negro hymn. each verse ending with the
my Lords gone to Galilee"
He stopped singing as we mounted the platform
ana toGk seats and began TO pay strict attention
from Giilmores legs, and coarse brush removed
the dirt from his shoes. Backing was then APP
window stills. examined one. To my surprise
ft proved to be copy OF Baxter'S saints Rest.
The surprise was intensified on ascert aiming that
its companions were Edwards on Reveals" a
stray volume OF "Adam Clarkes Commentaries
and Moody and Sankey hymn book. glance at
His tongue had suddenly become silent He was
examining q Bible as large . city director
and he seemed deeply interested In its old-time
wood cuts He gazed at an engraving OF "Elymus
Struck with Blindness" for minute or more, and
he was apparently much impressed with an illus
tration OF "Zaccheus Up the Tree, but a define
az
him SO that he abruptly closed the book The
titles OF the other works did not tend to STEADY
his nerves. He ndgeted uneasily in his chair
regained his composure and said:
"Men in New York think they know IL ALL but
they don't. I've run Niblo's Garden for ten years
a bootblack's nest but 1t seems to be q regular
Gospel shop"
The proprietor moistened shoe with his breath
and drove his brush vigorously over its surface
The gasllght danced within the figured shades u
the softened strains OF the Black Crook music
Gilmore touched him on the shoulder with the tiI
boots or praise God here?"
"With ali due respect, sir, do both" said tn,
meek negro, without betraying particle OF tn
Gilmore looked nonplussed, but he had struck
quaint stream OF inquiry, and he followed it to H.
logical sequence. (which pays the best?" b,
asked, as he withdrew his right foot nom the irol
pedal.
The Almighty Father, sir" was the humble re
ply. HE Is the
SIR. His workmen never strike for wages. He de
clares dividend OF love and peace every nigh
and morning, sir. 1t sends sunshine into tn,
heart, lifts the cloud from the brow, and It light
ems the heavy burdens on the road OF life, sir"
Gilmore blinked and began to whistle. HI
seemed disturbed in mind. The old man wa.
again silent He had bent himself to work on tn,
left foot with brush In each hand and he wa,
running both brushes with the regularity OF |
pistOn-rod. The manager OF the theater made an
other break.
"Brother johnson" said he, 81 suppose you reas
| these these books when you're all alone here?"
was the humble response.
"a man as pious as you pretend to be ough
never copper the truth" Gilmore drily observed
81 don't understand you. sir" the negro replied
ITO copper the truth means to lie, said GIN
more. ''Don't you know anything about faro?"
81 know that he was drowned in the Red sea
| SIR, but don't know that 1t was for lying. TIT
good book says 1t was because God hardened hi
ssThis won't wash" Gilmore continued. 'Your
double banking me. Come on. Didn't you jus
tell me that you were never alone, and isn't that
| lie? Every man is alone sometimes"
"with all due respect, sir. told you the truth,
| the blackamoor answered.
'IAM NEVER ALONE.
God is always with me. No man Is ever out OF hi
presence. He Is always with you, sir. The preach
| ers wouldn't accept your invitation to see tn
Black Crook, sir, but God accepted it. You might
| not have seen Him, but he is there every night
sir. He watches and guards you better than ID
watched and guarded the Brooklyn theater, SIR"
The old man had put final gloss on the man
ayers Shoes and he stood, brush In hand, In thu
rapture OF religious fervor. He turned stream
| OF fiery celebrations upon his questioner. Gill
more sat as though spellbOund- Such imagery
metaphor, warmth, sincerity and el0quence n
had never heard before Tears welled from the oil
darkey'S eyes as he warned the manager, In plead
| ing tones, to nee from the wrath to come. 1t wa
probably
THE MOST CONDEMNED REVIVAL SERMON
| that was ever delivered. The whole plan OF sal
walton was covered In less than 1ve minutes
Gilmore was fairly paralyzed. He seemed fascin
| ated by the rude sOphistry OF the negro. NJ
psychologist ever had man more completely IL
his power. The sinner was fairly on the point o
| conviction and contritiOn when a blare OF trum
pets from the heart OF 1.-THE Black Crook" brok
the spell Satin had put In some OF his fine work
| and Gilmore was again adrfft on the sea OF sin
| He drifted away right nobly, however. THAT,
worth half dollar to me, he SAID as he droppet
| the coin in the old mans palm and disappeared
| without waiting for my polish.
| Four days afterwards / met Henry Clair, lat,
| SUPERINTENDENT OF the Metropolitan. On hearnl
| the story he said that the bOotblack was q regu
| larry ordained minister OF the gospel His nam
| is The Rev. T. G. Thomas, and he has a church, a
Clair put It, "up country somewhere"
| ssHe'S the happieSt man In the CITY," Clat
| continued. He makes enough by backing boot
to run his church and support his family He's tn,
II 0ntc